Air NZ said it is working with union executives to find a fair and sustainable solution
More than a thousand cabin crew in Air New Zealand's international, domestic, and regional fleets will take strike action on 8 December, which could mean disruption to up to 15,000 customers of the airline.
E tū announced last week that around 1,250 members working as cabin crew for Air NZ will strike for a full day on December 8 after negotiations on pay and working conditions fell apart.
The upcoming strike is a co-ordinated action made up of three separate official strikes across three collective agreements, according to E tū.
"Cabin crew have gone above and beyond for Air New Zealand and for the travelling public. If the company wants to reach a settlement, they need to make real changes to their position," said E tū national secretary Rachel Mackintosh.
"Our members are seeking a fair deal that reflects their skill, responsibility, and the vital safety role they play every day."
Impact on Air NZ
A travel alert from Air NZ said the strike action on its regional fleets will take place at various times between 5:00 AM and 11:00 PM.
For domestic and international fleets, the strike will take place at various times between 12:01 AM and 11:59 PM.
Air NZ said that it is not yet seeing any impact to flights, but noted that it is working hard to reach an agreement with the union to avoid disruption to customers.
"It's important you know our focus is on continuing to work with union representatives on finding a fair and sustainable solution," it said on the travel alert.
Meanwhile, Nikhil Ravishankar, chief executive of Air NZ, told The New Zealand Herald that the strike could impact up to 15,000 customers.
"This next round of conversations are going to be critical. And as we get the finer details locked down, and if we do end up going down that path, the first people we'll notify are the customers," Ravishankar told the news outlet.
